Resolution Tip #3: Rock Your Inner Boy/Girl Scout and BE PREPARED! (Food Edition)

I will be honest with you.  I have not always been successful in achieving my nutrition goals.  Why?  

I was a woman with a million excuses...

"I HAD to do take out...there wasn't any good food in the house."

"I was traveling...you know what airplane food is like!"

"I was at a party...it would have been anti-social to sit there without a drink in my hand!"

"They ordered in at work!  Seriously....There was NOTHING healthy on the table! And I was STARVING!  I HAD to eat four slices of pizza....and a chocolate chip cookie."

For me, personally, I needed to be brutally honest with myself.  My lack of success wasn't because of lack of time, extenuating circumstances, or lack of a cooperative environment...it was because I didn't prioritize or prepare.  I kept saying my health was important to me, but I never treated it as a true priority when it came to doling out my time and effort. 

So I figured it out (mostly).

We gotta follow the Boy/Girl Scout motto and 

BE PREPARED.

Ha.  Easier said than done!  

So, how did I eventually go from flying by the seat of my pants to being a good little Girl Scout?  Take a look at my tired old excuses and my new kick-booty, take-responsibility, and be-prepared approach! 

"I HAD to do take out...there wasn't any good food in the house!"

• Now I make a food plan for the week.  I make a shopping list.  I stick to it...No matter how much chocolate is on sale.
• My fridge, freezer and cabinets are stocked with healthy fresh food--Stuff I actually like and am interested in.  There's no sense in buying a bunch of kale and just staring at it if you don't like kale!  Buy what you like!
• I keep veggies and fruit washed and chopped in the fridge for easy access, cooking, and snacking.  And when I know I have a super busy week ahead, I buy veggies that are pre-chopped (or veggies that don't need chopping at all!).
• Frozen veggies are essential for busy people.  They are super convenient and can be made in a flash.
• I cook once and eat two or three times.  Leftovers make a fast and easy breakfast or lunch for the next day and if you've got an Instant Pot, Crock Pot, or other big ol' pot you can make large quantities of sauce, stew, rice, quinoa or whatever and stick the extras in the freezer for the next week!  Woot! 
• Now, even though I like my food quick and easy, I also get bored and crave International foods. So...my spice cabinet is fully stocked so I can make things with an Italian, Asian, Mexican, Indian, or Mediterranean taste profile!

"I was traveling...you know what airplane food is like!" 

I used to say I couldn't be healthy when I was traveling...I literally thought it was impossible. But now...

• I put nuts, seeds, and unsweetened dried fruits in little snack baggies or re-usable containers so I can grab them and go and always have healthy food on hand.  
• Hello?  Fruit, anyone?  Apples, bananas, berries...all easy to grab and go.
• Sometimes I need a little on-the-go protein.  Meat is tricky 'cuz it needs refrigeration.  And though I'm not a fan of processed meats, Chomp Sticks are pretty good in a pinch (they have 'em at Trader Joe's). If you're not a meat eater and you're a bean person...hummus in a "to go" cup with carrots and celery works great too! 

"I was at a party...it would have been anti-social to sit there without a drink in my hand!"

Parties were my Achilles heel.  It always took too much willpower to "be good" and it felt awkward not drinking.  

• Oh, I like to party as much as the next person, but the logical person inside of me knows that liquid calories add up and once I've had two alcohol-based drinks, I find my lowered inhibition and party-mode attitude lead me straight to the food table and next thing I know, I've pulled up a chair and I'm eating the bowl of chips as if it were a single serving put there just for me.
• So now, especially if I'm hosting, I drink faux cocktails.  My fave is soda water with muddled lime and mint. In a fancy glass, of course!  This way, I'm drinking something special, others don't feel funny about drinking when I'm not, I don't suck down the extra calories, and I don't have a hangover the next day!  Total win!

PS.  A virgin Bloody Mary is also pretty spectacular for brunch events!

"They ordered in at work!  
Seriously....There was NOTHING healthy on the table! And I was STARVING!  
I HAD to eat four slices of pizza....
and a chocolate chip cookie."

And this was me ALL THE TIME. It was always someone else's fault.  I felt like I was never in control.  I was not making my own choices.

• First things first...I never let myself get to the point of "STARVING" anymore!  This is where being prepared (and eating healthy, rather than "dieting") is so important!  If I eat my leftovers for breakfast and some healthy snacks during the day, I shouldn't be ravenous enough to go on a mindless feeding frenzy at lunch or dinner. 
• Secondly, YES!  It sometimes happens that I really do get stuck with NO HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS!  No matter how much I plan, it still sometimes happens.  So in THAT case...I try to be mindful.  I decide how far off the wagon I want to go and then I ENJOY it to the fullest without guilt or remorse!  I know that tomorrow will be a new day...no downward food spiraling, no throwing in the towel!  I'm going to get right back to nourishing my body to it's fullest so I can achieve what I set out to do--be my healthiest self!

OK, so that's it.  All of my old excuses are GONE thanks to planning and prep!  Being healthy doesn't just happen.  We have to be mindful about it.  We have to plan and be prepared!

You got this, right?  You're gonna go prep and kick some booty, yes?  Yes! 

Next post, we'll explore how Being Prepared can help you be healthy in other ways too!  (It's not all about the food!)

Hugs to you, Friends!  

-dorothy